Docking of Soyuz TMA-11 to the ISS docking port of the Functional Cargo Module (FGB) Zarya

Operational support for loading and undocking of Soyuz TMA-10 from the Instrument Compartment of the ISS Service Module Zvezda (IC-SM). Soyuz TMA-10 would return the EP-13 tourist and EO-15 crew to earth. Aboard the station would remain the EO-16 crew and NASA astronaut Anderson who worked with both the EO-15 and EO-16 crews.

Operational support for docking of the Space Shuttle STS-120 in flight ISS-10A. Rotation of one EO-16 NASA crewmember by the Shuttle in flight 10A

Operational support for docking of the Space Shuttle in flight STS-122 / 1E. Rotation of one ISS-16 NASA crewmember via this Shuttle in flight 1E

Operational support for docking of Progress M-62 to Docking Compartment DC1 Pirs and its unloading;

Operational support for docking of the Space Shuttle in flight STS-123 / 1J/A. Rotation of one ISS-16 NASA crewmember by the Shuttle in flight 1J/A

Operational support for docking of Progress M-63 to DC1 and its unloading;

Loading and undocking of Progress M-61 and Progress M-62 from DC1

Support of the Space Station functionality

Performance of extravehicular activities to support station assembly and maintenance: three US EVA's from the ISS USOS and one Russian EVA from the ISS Russian Segment

Implementation of the Malaysian experimental program under the ANGKASA MSM Project (ETD-M, MOP-M, MUSCLE-M, FIS, CIS, MIS, PCS, TOP) onboard the ISS during the EP-13 mission

Operational support of docking of Soyuz TMA-12 with the EO-17 crew and a Korean astronaut (EP-14) aboard

Crew handover to EO-17 and return of the two EO-16 crewmembers and the EP-14 astronaut aboard Soyuz TMA-11

Soyuz TMA-11 delivered the EO-16 crew of Whitson and Malenchenko and EP-13 space tourist Shukor to the International Space Station. The Soyuz docked at the Zarya module at 14:50 GMT on 12 October. Whitson was EO-16 commander, with third astronaut Clay Anderson remaining aboard the station after the EO-15 crew and Shukor returned to earth on Soyuz TMA-10.

Malenchenko and Whitson, together with visiting Korean astronaut Yi, who had been delivered to the ISS by Soyuz TMA-12, undocked from the station aboard Soyuz TMA-11 at 05:06 GMT on 19 April 2008. Following the deorbit burn at 07:40 GMT the aft service module of the Soyuz failed to separate and the spacecraft began re-entry in a reversed position, with the forward hatch taking the initial re-entry heating. As was the case with Soyuz 5 in 1970, the connections with the service module finally melted away, and the freed capsule righted itself aerodynamically with the heat shield taking the brunt of the re-entry heating. However the crew experienced a rough ride, a ballistic re-entry of over 8 G's force, smoke in the cabin, a failure of the soft landing system, and a very hard landing. They landed 470 km short of the target point at 50 deg 31" N, 61 deg 7" E at 08:29 GMT. A small grass fire was started at the landing point and the injured crew had to be helped from the capsule by passers-by. Malenchenko and Whitson suffered no permanent injury, but Yi was hit by Whitson's personal effects bag on impact and required physical therapy for neck and spine injuries.

Soyuz TMA-11 delivered the EO-16 crew of Whitson and Malenchenko and EP-13 space tourist Shukor to the International Space Station. The Soyuz docked at the Zarya module at 14:50 GMT on 12 October. Whitson was EO-16 commander, with third astronaut Clay Anderson remaining aboard the station after the EO-15 crew and Shukor returned to earth on Soyuz TMA-10.

Malenchenko and Whitson, together with visiting Korean astronaut Yi, who had been delivered to the ISS by Soyuz TMA-12, undocked from the station aboard Soyuz TMA-11 at 05:06 GMT on 19 April 2008. Following the deorbit burn at 07:40 GMT the aft service module of the Soyuz failed to separate and the spacecraft began re-entry in a reversed position, with the forward hatch taking the initial re-entry heating. As was the case with Soyuz 5 in 1970, the connections with the service module finally melted away, and the freed capsule righted itself aerodynamically with the heat shield taking the brunt of the re-entry heating. However the crew experienced a rough ride, a ballistic re-entry of over 8 G's force, smoke in the cabin, a failure of the soft landing system, and a very hard landing. They landed 470 km short of the target point at 50 deg 31" N, 61 deg 7" E at 08:29 GMT. A small grass fire was started at the landing point and the injured crew had to be helped from the capsule by passers-by. Malenchenko and Whitson suffered no permanent injury, but Yi was hit by Whitson's personal effects bag on impact and required physical therapy for neck and spine injuries.

Main mission objectives were delivery of the Harmony module to the station, and external work to move the P6 truss to its final location and put the ISS into its full-power configuration for the first time. Discovery docked with the ISS at the Destiny module at 12:40 GMT on 25 October. The cargo of 17,390 kg was as follows:

The astronauts emerged from the Quest hatch at 10:01 GMT. They moved an antenna from the Z1 truss and stowed it in the payload bay, prepared the P6 truss for separation from Z1, and assisted in installation of the Harmony module, which was unberthed from the shuttle bay by the ISS Canadarm-2 and docked to the Unity module.

The astronauts emerged from the Quest hatch at 09:32 GMT. They assisted in unberthing of the P6 truss and its placement in a parked position. They also installed handrails and a grapple fixture on Harmony and inspected the malfunctioning Solar Array Rotary Joint (SARJ) on the S3/S4 truss.

The astronauts emerged from the Quest hatch at 08:44 GMT. They assisted in the mating of the P6 to P5 trusses and deployment of a radiator from P6. Wheelock transferred a spare Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) from the Shuttle bay to the External Stowage Platform 3 (ESP3). P6 solar array wing 2B was successfully redeployed; but deployment of array 4B had to be halted when a tear developed in the solar panel.

The astronauts emerged from the Quest hatch and rode the ISS Canadarm II 50 m out to the snagged P6 solar array. Parazynski cut a snagged wire and installed homemade stabilizers designed to strengthen the array’s structure and stability in the vicinity of the damage. Wheelock helped from the truss by keeping an eye on the distance between Parazynski and the array. Afterwards they observed as ground controllers completed successful extension of the array.

The astronauts conducted exterior work in preparation for the move of the Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 (PMA-2) from the Destiny lab and to the Harmony module. They disconnected and stowed cables, removed a light on one of the station’s transport carts and took the cover off Harmony's Common Berthing Mechanism. They also removed a base-band signal processor for later refurbishment; removed a remote power controller module that was to be replaced; and transferred tools in preparation for upcoming spacewalks.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Peggy and Dan wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

The crew conducted the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning.

"Uborka", normally done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the FE's sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.) Additional Details: here....

After setting up the video camera gear for covering their CEVIS cycle ergometer workout, Peggy Whitson and Dan Tani activated the OUM-PFE (Oxygen Uptake Measurement - Periodic Fitness Evaluation) equipment at the HRF-2 (Human Research Facility 2) rack, including the HRF PFM/PAM (Pulmonary Function Module/Photoacoustic Analyzer Module), Mixing Bag System and GDS (Gas Delivery System). Both crewmembers then completed the evaluation protocol, wearing HRMs (Heart Rate Monitors), with each one in turn acting as subject and operator, obtaining measurements on themselves on the CEVIS cycle ergometer. (The operations were documented with photo and video. Later, Peggy and Dan updated the evaluation protocol, deactivated & stowed the gear, including photo/video equipment, and powered down the OUM-PFE laptop. Purpose of OUM-PFE is to measure aerobic capacity during exercise within 14 days after arrival on ISS, and once monthly during routine PFEs. The data allows exercise physiologists & flight doctors to assess the crew's health & fitness and to provide data for modifying & updating crew-specific exercise regimes. PFE-OUM is a collaborative effort between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency).) Additional Details: here....

Before breakfast, CDR Peggy Whitson & FE-2 Dan Tani accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Peggy and Dan wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, currently as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

(The test, using the RSS2 laptop, consisted of switching from the regular 128-byte TM frame to a 206-byte format, for the ground to run tests overnight from RGS (Russian Ground Sites). Tomorrow, in part 2 the FE-1 will reconfigure the BSR-TM back to 128-byte format.)

Afterwards, Malenchenko recorded the post-EVA radiation readings from the Russian EMU-worn plus one background 'Pille-MKS' dosimeters in a log table for subsequent downlink to the ground.

CDR Whitson & FE-1 Malenchenko started off on today's light-duty schedule with another standard 30-min Shuttle RPM (R-bar Pitch Maneuver) skill training, Peggy's third, Yuri's fourth, using DCS-760 digital still cameras with 400 & 800mm lenses at Service Module (SM) windows 6 & 8 to take imagery of documented EO (Earth Observation) targets facing the velocity vector (in flight direction). Afterwards, Peggy downlinked the obtained images to the ground for analysis, to be discussed at a subsequent tagup. (The skill training prepares crewmembers for the bottomside mapping of the Orbiter at the arrival of STS-122/1E in December. During the RPM at ~600 ft from the station, the ISS crew will have only ~90 seconds for taking high-resolution digital photographs of all tile areas and door seals on the Atlantis from SM windows 6 & 8, to be downlinked for launch debris assessment. Thus, time available for the shooting will be very limited, requiring great coordination between the two headset-equipped photographers and the Shuttle.) Additional Details: here....

(The test, controlled from the RSS2 laptop, began 11/21 with Yuri switching from the regular 128-byte TM frame to a 206-byte format, for TsUP to run tests from RGS (Russian Ground Sites). Today, in Part 2 as per plan the FE-1 returned the BSR-TM to the nominal 128-byte format.)

Malenchenko also transferred measurements & imagery from the ESA/RSC-Energia experiment ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS) to OCA for subsequent downlink to the ground, after yesterday's first repositioning of the spectrometer. (ALTCRISS uses the AST spectrometer to monitor space radiation in the Russian segment (RS).) Additional Details: here....

EVA-12 'Charlie' was completed fully successfully in 7 hrs 4 min, accomplishing all objectives & get-ahead tasks. As a consequence, Node-2 Harmony was fully activated by the ground, one day earlier than originally planned, enabling interior activations by the crew tomorrow.

During the spacewalk, CDR Peggy Whitson (EV1) and FE-2 Dan Tani (EV2), supported by FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko as intravehicular (IV) crewmember, connected and configured the second half of the Node-2 fluid, power, and cooling jumpers (the first half was accomplished on EVA-11 'Bravo' on 11/20). Specifically, the spacewalkers - Additional Details: here....

The crew completed fluid, electrical, and data line hookups between PMA-2 and Harmony. They connected the Loop B Fluid Tray to the port side of Destiny. They then moved to the truss and made photographs for ground analysis of the troubled starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint.

The FE-1 started his day by recording post-EVA radiation readings from the Russian 'Pille-MKS' dosimeters in the two spacesuits worn by Whitson & Tani during yesterday's spacewalk and from one background dosimeter. Measurements were logged in a table for subsequent downlink to the ground.

In the SM (Service Module), Malenchenko afterwards activated the Kenwood D700 amateur radio station and started the program for the Russian SHADOW-BEACON (Tenj-Mayak) experiment. (Objective of the experiment is the automatic retranslation of time tag (pre-planned executable) packets from ground stations. SHADOW (or ECLIPSE), sponsored by Roskosmos and its leading Moscow research organization TSNIIMASH (Central Research Institute of Machine Building), employs VHF amateur radio (ham) operators around the globe (via ARISS/Amateur Radio on ISS) to help in observing refraction/scattering effects in artificial plasmas using the method of RF (radio frequency) sounding in space experiments under different geophysical conditions. This is the experiment's second run, after Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin conducted it first on Expedition 14 in November 2006.) Additional Details: here....

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.

ff-duty day for CDR Whitson, FE-1 Malenchenko and FE-2 Tani. Underway: Week 6 of Increment 16. Having passed the Day 30 mark in her flight, CDR-16 Whitson began her second session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, for which she had to forego exercising and food intake for eight hours. (After collecting an initial urine sample, Whitson, assisted by Dan Tani, followed it with phlebotomy, i.e., drawing blood samples (from an arm vein) which she first allowed to coagulate in the Repository, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned (see RC troubleshooting, below). The equipment was then stowed. NUTRITION activities today included the required 24-hour data urine collection by Whitson, by securing samples during the day, all stored immediately in MELFI. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing inflight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project expands MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

FE-2 Dan Tani continued servicing the CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2) experiment on its second session.

(The FE-2 configured the hardware to allow the ground to perform ground commanding to the MLC (Microgravity Science Glovebox Laptop Computer) for diagnostic testing and to develop recovery steps for the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) to be reprogrammed correctly.)

Upon wakeup, FE-1 Malenchenko terminated his third MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground.

(SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....

FE-1 Malenchenko supported his first experiment session with the Russian TEKh-20 Plasma Crystal-3+ (Plazmennyi-Kristall/PK-3+) payload by activating the turbopump in the Service Module (SM)'s Transfer Compartment (PkhO) for keeping the vacuum chamber (ZB) in the SM Work Compartment (RO) evacuated. The turbopump will be deactivated tonight at ~4:25pm EST. (Main objective of PK-3 is to study dust plasma wave propagation and dispersion ratio at a specified power of HF discharge, pressure, and a varied number of particles.) Additional Details: here....

FE-1 Malenchenko continued his support of his first experiment session with the Russian TEKh-20 Plasma Crystal-3+ (Plazmennyi-Kristall/PK-3+) payload by activating the turbopump in the Service Module (SM)'s Transfer Compartment (PkhO) for keeping the vacuum chamber (ZB) in the SM Work Compartment (RO) evacuated. The turbopump will be deactivated tonight at ~4:25pm EST. (Main objective of PK-3 is to study dust plasma wave propagation and dispersion ratio at a specified power of HF discharge, pressure, and a varied number of particles.) Additional Details: here....

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Today's launch of STS-122/Atlantis on Mission ISS-1E was postponed due to failure indications of two (of four) engine cut-off sensors in the Liquid Hydrogen tank during early-morning tanking operations.

The next liftoff opportunity is tomorrow, Friday, at 4:09pm EST.

Aboard the space station, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software after wakeup and before breakfast, for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

After yesterday's launch scrub for STS-122/Atlantis/Mission ISS-1E due to failure indications of two (of four) engine cut-off sensors in the LH2 tank, the Shuttle is now in a 48-hour turnaround to protect for launch no earlier than Saturday, at 3:43pm EST.

Aboard the space station, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software after wakeup and before breakfast, for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

The delayed launch of STS-122/Atlantis/Mission ISS-1E has tentatively been rescheduled for tomorrow, Sunday (12/9) at 3:21pm EST, assuming no major problems turn up in engineering reviews taking place today. Weather forecast for 12/9 predicts an 80 percent chance of good weather.

Aboard the space station, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software after wakeup and before breakfast, for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Aboard the space station, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software after wakeup and before breakfast, for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko underwent the periodic (generally monthly) health test with the cardiological experiment PZEh MO-1 ('Study of the Bioelectric Activity of the Heart at Rest') on the TVIS (Treadmill with Vibration Isolation System).

FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software after wakeup and before breakfast, for data logging, completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Dan Tani continued his work on the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) facility.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Malenchenko and Whitson, assisting each other in turn, conducted a session with the biomedical protocol KARDIO-ODNT (MBI-5) in the "Chibis" garment.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

The CDR and FE-2 conducted a one-hour review of an uplinked procedures briefing package for the US EVA-13 next week (12/18), covering topics like egress plan, timeline ordering of tasks, translation/fairleads/tether plan, hazards, and ingress plan.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Found no obvious signs of external damage on cables or hardware of the BGA & BMRMM that might have caused the repeated tripping of circuit breakers (RPCs/Remote Power Controllers), making it more likely that the issue is internal to the hardware or its electrical system; Entered into the S5 truss to disconnect some wiring to allow the ground to perform diagnostic continuity tests, and later reconnected the cables; Temporarily removed 22 protective MLI (Multi-Layer Insulation) covers to inspect the SARJ, its two DLAs (Drive Lock Assemblies), and its 12 TBAs (Trundle Bearing Assemblies), reattaching the covers afterwards, Found most metal shavings around TBA-4 and TBA-5, i.e., metallic, magnetic contamination on the main gear bearing's outboard angled race ring as well as pitting and abrasions on the ring but no obvious damage on the inboard race ring or on the gear teeth themselves. DLA (Drive Lock Assembly) #2 appeared especially 'ugly', i.e., filled with contamination, and, according to the spacewalkers, the further away from the DLA, the less contamination was observed; Took photographs, measured the depth of surface pits with a special probe and collected debris samples; and Deinstalled and removed TBA-5 from its housing under cover #20, using a PGT (Pistol Grip Tool), then brought it inside in a bag for eventual return to Earth aboard STS-122/Atlantis (SARJ can function OK on only 11 TBAs). (Official start time of the spacewalk was 4:50am EST, 70 minutes ahead of the timeline, ending at 11:46am. Total EVA duration (PET = Phase Elapsed Time) was 6h 56min. It was the 100th spacewalk for ISS assembly & maintenance and the 72nd from the station (28 from Shuttle, 50 from Quest, 22 from Pirs) totaling 436h 3m, and the 4th for Expedition 16 (totaling 28h 11m. During the spacewalk, her fifth, Peggy Whitson set a new record of aggregated EVA time by a woman (of 32h 36m) when she exceeded the 29h 18m held by Sunita Williams. After today's EVA, a total of 121 spacewalkers (90 NASA astronauts, 21 Russians, and ten astronauts representing Japan-1, Canada-4, France-1, Germany-1 and Sweden-3) have logged a total of 624h 25m outside the station on building, outfitting and servicing. It was also the 122nd spacewalk by U.S. astronauts. The 100th EVA dedicated to ISS assembly & maintenance originally was to have been conducted by Rex Walheim & Hans Schlegel of the delayed STS-122/1E mission.) Additional Details: here....

Today at ~5:30am EST, the ISS, specifically its FGB module, completed 52,000 orbits of the Earth, having covered a distance of 2.

billion kilometers (1.37 billion st.miles) in 3316 days. The 19,300 kg (42,600 lbs) Zarya ('Dawn') was launched on a Russian/Khrunichev Proton from Baikonur over nine years ago (11/20/1998) as the first element of the multi-national space station.<<<<

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

In preparation for the arrival of Progress M-62/27P on 12/26 (~3:25am EST), FE-1 Malenchenko and CDR Whitson successfully conducted the standard 3-hr. training course on the TORU teleoperated control system.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Having passed the Day 60 mark in her flight, Dr. Peggy Whitson began her third session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, for which she had to forego exercising and food intake for eight hours.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Last night, Progress M-61/26P successfully undocked from the ISS at 10:59pm EST (hook opening command: 10:57pm). The separation appeared smooth with no vibrations noted. Downlinked video from the cargo vehicle showed that the docking ring surface was nominal. The first separation burn was performed at 11:03pm and a second separation burn followed at 11:09pm. The spacecraft initially moved aft of the station, then forward, overtaking the ISS on a lower (faster) orbit. 26P will remain in orbit in free flight for 3-4 weeks, continuing to phase out in front of the ISS (about 40 km per orbit) as part of a Russian Earth observation experiment. Additional Details: here....

With the usual dependability, Progress M-62/27P launched nominally this morning at Baikonur at 2:12am EST. Orbit insertion and 3rd stage separation were nominal at ~2:21:30am. Critical antennae and solar array deployments took place without issue. Docking is scheduled on Wednesday, 12/26 (~3:25am EST). Congrats, Baikonur!

Before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani and CDR Peggy Whitson completed their daily access of the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Resupply spacecraft that docked with the Pirs port of the International Space Station at 08:14 GMT on 26 December. Undocked on 4 February 2008 at 10:32 GMT and then carried out Earth observations for ten days before being deorbited on 15 February at 09:44 GMT.

Progress M-62/27P is continuing its 3-day flight to the ISS for docking Wednesday morning (12/26) at ~3:25am EST at the DC1 nadir port. All onboard tests (TV, KURS, TORU), performed today during RGS (Russian ground site) passes, were without issues.

Before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani and CDR Peggy Whitson completed their daily access of the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Progress M-62 (27P), approaching from below the station, docked nominally at the DC1 Docking Compartment nadir port at 3:14am EST, with automatic AO-VKA orientation antenna retraction, followed by docking probe retraction and hook closure ('sborka') at 3:23am after motion damp-out, while the ISS was in free drift. (Launched 12/23 (2:12am EST), the 27P resupply drone delivered about 2.5 tons of cargo for the ISS crews, including propellants for the Russian thrusters, fresh water, oxygen, food, spare parts, repair gear, life support and science experiment hardware. For the docking, ISS attitude control authority was handed over to Russian MCS (Motion Control System) thrusters at 11:48pm and returned to US Momentum Management at 5:06am. Starting with TV camera activation at ~2:37am (range ~8 km), the KURS TV camera display data overlay failed to show through docking despite attempts by the crew to activate the numerical display. The docking took place nominally, without violation of any joint flight rules, since Malenchenko and Whitson had all numerical data on a laptop before them. Telemetry was also available in TsUP-Moscow.) Additional Details: here....

Before breakfast and first exercise, Whitson, Malenchenko and Tani completed a full session with the Russian crew health monitoring program's medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani again accessed the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and completing questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for later downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani began the day with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Upon wakeup, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko terminated his fifth MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session, started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground. (SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....

Whitson and Tani began the day with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Peggy Whitson and Dan Tani began the day with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

New Year's Eve....16 times for the Expedition 16 crew of CDR Peggy Whitson, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko and FE-2 Dan Tani while counting down to 2008!

Crew off-duty day. Underway: Week 11 of Increment 16.

Peggy and Dan began the day with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment 's session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers ' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew 's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Peggy and Dan began the New Year with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Peggy and Dan spent several hours getting 'the broom out of the closet', i.e., accessing the PMA-3 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 3) at the Node-1 nadir port and retrieving the spare BMRMM (Bearing Motor Roll Ring Module) for its planned installation at the Stbd (right-side) 1A BGA (Beta Gimbal Assembly) on the S4 truss in an upcoming EVA, replacing the failed BMRRM. The following steps were successfully executed to retrieve the spare part: Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Also before breakfast, Peggy Whitson, Yuri Malenchenko and Dan Tani performed the periodic Russian biomedical routine assessments PZEh-MO-7/Calf Volume Measurement and PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement (5th for CDR & FE-1, 4th for FE-2), using the IM mass measurement device which Malenchenko afterwards broke down for stowage. (Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference pints, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the Russian IM "scales" measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember's mass is calculated by the computer and displayed.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson & FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Sunday -- off-duty day for CDR Whitson, FE-1 Malenchenko and FE-2 Tani (congratulations, Dan, to the nice write-up about you and your mom in today's Washington Post!).

Ahead: Week 12 of Increment 16. Also:

Christmas Eve for tomorrow's Russian Orthodox Christmas.

CDR Whitson & FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Working in the DC1 Docking Compartment, FE-1 Malenchenko, later joined by CDR Whitson, started a three-day maintenance activity on three Russian Orlan-M spacesuits (#25, #26, #27), first initiating discharge of 825M3 Orlan battery pack #1, then scrubbing and degassing the Orlan water loops, followed by the coolant loops in the DC1 and SM PkhO (Service Module Transfer Compartment) BSS Orlan Interface Units. (Functional inspection & checkout of the suits and their spare parts, including bladder leak tests, are scheduled tomorrow & Thursday.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

The FE-2 worked in the Airlock (A/L), starting on a lengthy (2h 25m) troubleshooting procedure on the EACP (EVA/EMU Audio Control Panel), first setting up comm from the A/L, then activating the EACP and connecting it via the 'low clearance' Y-cable to ATU-4 (Audio Terminal Unit, #4) and ATU-6 on the A/L Avionics Rack. After initial testing, the EACP was turned off again. (ATU-6 was installed by Clay Anderson on 10/11/07 in place of a failed unit, and the failed ATU-6 was returned on 10A. The new ATU-6 has been experiencing periodic lockups and PBIT (passive built-in test) faults. Engineering analysis and testing indicate that these issues may be caused by improperly mated J3 & J4 connections, a problem with the address connector, or a dirty fiber-optic connector. There are 3 ATUs in the A/L, one of which must be functional for EVAs, so long as the suited EVA crew has established UHF (Ultra High Frequency) radio communication.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Upon wakeup, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko terminated his seventh MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session, started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground. (SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

At ~3:10am EST, the FE-2 activated the VDS MPC (Video Distribution System/Multi-Purpose Converter) with its four downlinks to allow the ground to conduct HDTV (high-definition TV) playback and downlink operations. Later (~11:30am), the MPC was powered off again. Additional Details: here....

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.

Saturday -- off-duty day for CDR Whitson, FE-1 Malenchenko and FE-2 Tani except for housekeeping and voluntary work. "CDR Whitson & FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers ' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew 's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson & FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary "job jar" task list.)

FE-1 Malenchenko serviced the Russian BMP (Harmful Impurities Removal System), starting the "bake-out" cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. The regen process will be terminated before sleeptime, at ~2:20pm EST. Regeneration of bed #2 follows tomorrow. (Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

FE-1 Malenchenko serviced the Russian BMP (Harmful Impurities Removal System), starting the "bake-out" cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #2 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. The regen process was terminated at ~2:00 EST. (Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods. Filter bed 1 was regenerated yesterday.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Preparatory to today's pump R&R (Removal & Replacement) of the EHS VOA (Environmental Health Systems/Volatile Organic Analyzer), CDR Whitson rotated the CHeCS rack down for some AAA(Avionics Air Assembly) fan/filter and smoke detector cleaning, before FE-2 Tani performed the VOA IFM (Inflight Maintenance), with filter inspection, preceded and followed by taking CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen) readings in the affected rack areas. (If the O2 percentage was between 15.7% - 24.1%, Dan was Go to proceed. If not, the ground had steps to be taken to ventilate the area. Ground analysis has shown that the secondary seals in QDs (Quick Disconnects) in the Nitrogen/Oxygen systems do not always seal properly, which can result in an increased N2/O2 concentration behind panels & racks with no ventilation. The CHeCS (LAB1D4) is one of these racks.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Also before breakfast, Peggy Whitson, Yuri Malenchenko and Dan Tani performed the periodic Russian biomedical routine assessments PZEh-MO-7/Calf Volume Measurement and PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement (6th for CDR & FE-1, 5th for FE-2), using the IM mass measurement device which Malenchenko afterwards broke down for stowage. (Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference pints, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the Russian IM "scales" measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember's mass is calculated by the computer and displayed.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson & FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson & FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

At ~2:55am EST, the FE-2 again activated the VDS MPC (Video Distribution System/Multi-Purpose Converter) with its four downlinks to allow the ground to conduct HDTV (high-definition TV) playback and downlink operations. Later (~12:15pm), the MPC was powered off again. (The end-to-end test of the system, conducted by the crew and ground specialists on 1/17 to verify the MPC HDTV (Multi-Purpose Converter/High-Definition TV) capability all the way to the NASA TV satellite, was very successful, yielding an overall end-to-end audio latency (delay) for the MPC System of 3.2 seconds. This is the delay from the crewmember to JSC/MCC-H to NASA Headquarters and out to the NASA TV satellite in high definition (including, but are not limited to, CNNHD, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Discovery HD Theater), i.e. the sum total of the audio delay the interviewer and interviewee will "feel" during an interactive event. This Japan/JAXA originated system will be utilized soon for downlink messages and in-flight interviews based on client capability.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Peggy Whitson continued her work with the InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), today conducting runs #23 and #24, then powering down the payload and switching the MSG to standby. (After activation of MSG plus InSPACE & InSPACE-2 equipment, Peggy checked on alignment & focusing of MSG video cam #2, repositioned the sample vial, changed out video recorder tapes and later deactivated InSPACE & MSG. InSPACE, conducted last in June 2006 by Jeff Williams on Increment 13, obtains basic data on magnetorheological fluids, i.e., a new class of "smart materials" that can be used to improve or develop new brake systems, seat suspensions robotics, clutches, airplane landing gear, and vibration damper systems. The dispersed particles are contained in CAs (Coil Assemblies) in the MSG that subject them to electric fields of certain strength and frequencies.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Dan Tani dismantled the InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and stowed the equipment, including the video gear. Additional Details: here....

CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Upon wakeup, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko terminated his eighth MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session, started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground. (SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....

FE-1 Malenchenko finished Part 2 of his first stress test plus saliva and blood sampling of the ESA/Russian biomed experiment 'IMMUNO' (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS), today completing remaining urine sample collections. Specimens were then stowed in a special urine containment bag (blood samples were secured yesterday in the MELFI {Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS} in cold packs). (IMMUNO is a 24-hr. test of human immune system changes, with the objective to investigate immune neuro-endocrine reactions in the space environment by studying samples of saliva, blood and urine using collection kits and the biomedical (MBI) protection kit. Also included are entries in a fluid/medications intact log, and a stress-test questionnaire to be filled out by the subject at begin and end of the first day.) Additional Details: here....

FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night on his Actiwatch, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

The crew performed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning. ("Uborka", usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the CDR's sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.) Additional Details: here....

FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night on his Actiwatch, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

The FE-2 also performed standard switch-over maintenance on the starboard & portside Lab CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) air conditioners, closing the ITCS LTL (Internal Thermal Control System/Low Temperature Loop) flow to the first (LAB1S6) and initiating it on the second (LAB1P6) unit. This is a periodic service task. Additional Details: here....

Light duty day today for the crew following yesterday's successful EVA.

>>>>Today 50 years ago, the U.S. launched its first Earth satellite, Explorer 1, on a Redstone/Jupiter rocket built by the Wernher von Braun team for the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA). The satellite, developed by JPL and equipped with radiation sensors by Dr. James Van Allen, discovered the Van Allen Radiation Belts of Earth.<<<<

FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

>>>Yesterday, NASA observed the annual Day of Remembrance honoring those members of the NASA Family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery. This memorial event honors the families and crews of Columbia STS-107, Challenger STS 51-L, and Apollo 1, as well as all the astronauts who have sacrificed their lives for this nation. <<<

FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

This morning, Progress M-62/27P successfully undocked from the ISS DC1 at 5:32am EST 26P will remain in orbit in free flight until 2/15, continuing to phase out in front of the ISS (about 40 km per orbit) in order to support Russian Earth observation experiments. (The separation appeared smooth, with no anomalous behavior reported by the crew. TsUP-Moscow confirmed a 15 second first separation burn complete at approximately 5:35:07anm EST. The ISS returned to US Momentum Management (MM) at approximately 6:46am EST.) Additional Details: here....

With the usual dependability, Progress M-63/28P launched nominally this morning at Baikonur at 8:02am EST.

Ascent was nominal, all appendages (antennae and solar arrays) deployed nominally and the vehicle reached orbital insertion at 8:12am. 28P is scheduled to dock to the ISS on 2/7 (Thursday) at 9:38am. Congrats, Baikonur!

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani completed his daily access of the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Progress M-63/28P is continuing its 3-day flight to the ISS for docking tomorrow morning (2/7) at ~9:38am EST at the DC1 nadir port.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani completed his daily access of the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

ISS flight 1E's primary mission was the long-delayed delivery and installation of the European Columbus module. The shuttle entered an initial 58 km x 230 km orbit at 19:54 GMT. The OMS-2 circularization burn at 20:23 GMT put it into a 215 km x 233 km chase orbit. Atlantis docked with the PMA-2 port of the ISS at 17:17 GMT on 9 February. Eyharts was dropped off at the station, Tani, already aboard the ISS, returned to Earth on Atlantis. Atlantis undocked from the ISS on 20 February at 09:24 GMT; began its deorbit burn at 12:59; and landed at the Kennedy Space Center at 14:07.

Mission 1E replanning by MCC-Houston, driven by the one-day delay of the first spacewalk, was completed last night, as follows:

Approved mission extension by one day (i.e., 12+0+2 instead of 11+0+2), resulting in 2/19 (Tuesday) as return date for Atlantis; Limiting resource being oxygen (O2), under further discussion is the option to either extend by one more docked day or transfer the unexpended O2 to the ISS (current O2 margins are estimated to be 11+1+2 plus an additional 20-25 hours. These are still being refined given the insertion of the new FD4); All FD 4 activities moved to FD 5. EVA-1 will be conducted by Stanley Love and Rex Walheim tomorrow, with Campout of the two tonight; Today (FD 4) was replanned and includes 1.5 hrs of focused inspection (FI) of the starboard OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System) pod blanket that has a corner slightly peeled back (the FI, starting at ~ 2:15 pm EST, is planned for 90 min, with additional FI time available on FD 06 if needed); Transfer status: 22% of transfer complete, 6 hours of transfer scheduled for FD 4, expect 35/40 lbs N2 transfer today, 3 CWCs filled. Wakeup time for the ISS crew remains at 4:45am EST, with sleep time tonight 8:45pm. Same times for the Shuttle crew. Additional Details: here....

Mission 1E's EVA-1 was completed successfully by Stanley Love & Rex Walheim in 7hr 58min, accomplishing all its objectives.(During the spacewalk, Walheim (EV1) & Love (EV2) prepared Columbus for unberthing and installation, hooking up electric cables, removing protective covers from the module's docking mechanism and equipping Columbus with the PDGF (Power & Data Grapple Fixture) required for grappling. They also started preparing the NTA (Nitrogen Tank Assembly) for removal, preparatory to replacement with a new NTA on EVA-2 (disconnecting electric cables and two ammonia flex hoses was deferred to Wednesday, but Walheim unfastened two of the four bolts holding down the NTA). Official start time of the spacewalk was 9:13am EST, about 25 minutes ahead of the timeline, and it ended at 5:11pm. Total EVA duration (PET = Phase Elapsed Time) was 7h 58min. It was the 102nd spacewalk for ISS assembly & maintenance and the 74th from the station (28 from Shuttle, 52 from Quest, 22 from Pirs) totaling 451h 11min, and the 6th for Expedition 16 (totaling 43h 19min.) After today's EVA, a total of 125 spacewalkers (94 NASA astronauts, 21 Russians, and ten astronauts representing Japan-1, Canada-4, France-1, Germany-1 and Sweden-3) have logged a total of 639h 33min outside the station on building, outfitting and servicing. It was also the 124th spacewalk by U.S. astronauts.) Additional Details: here....

At ~9:15am EST, the European Columbus laboratory was opened and entered by crewmembers for the first time. (Columbus is permanently attached at the starboard port of Node-2.)

Crew sleep cycle remains at 4:45am - 8:15pm for both crews.

Before breakfast, FE-2 Dan Tani completed his daily access of the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

CDR Peggy Whitson and FE-2-16 Leo Eyharts continued their IMMUNO (Integrated Immune Assessment) experiment, begun on 2/9, with liquid saliva collections, first thing after wake-up and prior to breakfast, drinking and teeth-brushing. All samples were stored at ambient temperature. Dan Tani's IMMUNO liquid saliva collection starts tomorrow morning. (IMMUNO (Integrated Immune Assessment)is a 24-hr. test of human immune system changes, with the objective to investigate immune neuro-endocrine reactions in the space environment by studying samples of saliva, blood and urine using collection kits and the biomedical (MBI) protection kit, to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. The strategy uses both long and short duration crewmembers as study subjects. The saliva is collected in two forms, dry and liquid. The dry samples are collected at intervals during the collection day using a specialized book that contains filter paper. The liquid saliva collections require that the crewmember soak a piece of cotton inside their mouth and place it in a salivette bag; there are four of the liquid collections during docked operations. The on-orbit blood samples are collected right before undocking and returned on the Shuttle so that analysis can occur with 48 hours of the sampling. This allows assays that quantify the function of different types white blood cells and other active components of the immune system. For cold storage, samples are secured in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Also included are entries in a fluid/medications intact log, and a stress-test questionnaire to be filled out by the subject at begin and end. Urine is collected during a 24-hour period, conventionally divided into two twelve-hour phases: morning-evening and evening-morning.) Additional Details: here....

Mission 1E's EVA-2 was completed successfully by Rex Walheim & Hans Schlegel in 6h 45m, accomplishing all its objectives and get-aheads.(During the spacewalk, Walheim (EV1) & Schlegel (EV2) removed the new NTA (Nitrogen Tank Assembly) from the Shuttle PLB (Payload Bay), 'flew' it to the CETA (Crew & Equipment Translation Aid) cart for transfer to the P1 truss, installed it in place of the failed NTA, which they returned via CETA for stowage in the PLB, and performed Get-Aheads, viz.: Clean up Lab MMOD (Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris Shield) & install Columbus Trunnion Covers.) Official start time of the spacewalk was 9:27am EST, about 8 min ahead of the timeline, and it ended at 4:12pm. Total EVA duration (PET = Phase Elapsed Time) was 6h 45min. It was the 103rd spacewalk for ISS assembly & maintenance and the 75th from the station (28 from Shuttle, 53 from Quest, 22 from Pirs) totaling 457h 56min, and the 7th for Expedition 16 (totaling 50h 04min). After today's EVA, a total of 127 spacewalkers (95 NASA astronauts, 21 Russians, and 11 astronauts representing Japan-1, Canada-4, France-1, Germany-2 and Sweden-3) have logged a total of 646h 18min outside the station on building, outfitting and servicing. It was also the 125th spacewalk involving U.S. astronauts.) Additional Details: here....

Mission 1E's EVA-3 was completed successfully by Rex Walheim & Stan Love in 7h 25m, accomplishing all its objectives and get-aheads.(During the spacewalk, Walheim (EV1) & Love (EV3) transferred the European SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory) and the EuTEF (European Technology Exposure Facility) to the COL EPF (Columbus Orbital Laboratory External Payload Facility), retrieved the failed CMG (Control Moment Gyro) for stowage in the Shuttle PLB for return, installed COL worksite interface fixtures and handrails, inspected a suspected sharp-edged MMOD impact site on an Airlock (A/L) handrail (#508), and inspected, photographed and took samples from the failed starboard SARJ (Solar Alpha Rotary Joint) race ring and covers not yet inspected before. Official start time of the spacewalk was 8:07am EST, about 28 min ahead of timeline, and it ended at 3:32pm. Total EVA duration (PET = Phase Elapsed Time) was 7h 25min. It was the 104th spacewalk for ISS assembly & maintenance and the 76th from the station (28 from Shuttle, 54 from Quest, 22 from Pirs) totaling 465h 21min, and the 8th for Expedition 16 (totaling 57h 29min). After today's EVA, a total of 129 spacewalkers (97 NASA astronauts, 21 Russians, and 11 astronauts representing Japan-1, Canada-4, France-1, Germany-2 and Sweden-3) have logged a total of 653h 43min outside the station on building, outfitting and servicing. It was also the 126th spacewalk involving U.S. astronauts.) Additional Details: here....

CDR Peggy Whitson performed her final INTEGRATED IMMUNE blood collection, assisted by MS1 Leland Melvin, right before hatch closure. FE-2 Dan Tani will continue his saliva collections, both liquid and dry, and blood collections aboard the Atlantis all the way home FE-2-16 Leo Eyharts transferred his and Peggy's saliva return pouches and blood sleeves as well as Dan's saliva collection kit to the Shuttle for return. (Background: IMMUNE assessment, integrated with the Russian IMMUNO, is a 24-hr. test of human immune system changes, with the objective to investigate immune neuro-endocrine reactions in the space environment by studying samples of saliva, blood and urine using collection kits and the biomedical (MBI) protection kit, to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. The strategy uses both long and short duration crewmembers as study subjects. The saliva is collected in two forms, dry and liquid. The dry samples are collected at intervals during the collection day using a specialized book that contains filter paper. The liquid saliva collections require that the crewmember soak a piece of cotton inside their mouth and place it in a salivette bag; there are four of the liquid collections during docked operations. The on-orbit blood samples are collected right before undocking and returned on the Shuttle so that analysis can occur with 48 hours of the sampling. This allows assays that quantify the function of different types white blood cells and other active components of the immune system. For cold storage, samples are secured in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Also included are entries in a fluid/medications intact log, and a stress-test questionnaire to be filled out by the subject at begin and end. Urine is collected during a 24-hour period, conventionally divided into two twelve-hour phases: morning-evening and evening-morning.) Additional Details: here....

Underway: Week 18 of Increment 16, with a new FE-2, LĂ(c)opold (Leo) Eyharts who has replaced Dan Tani.

US Holiday (President's Day).

STS-122/Atlantis and ISS are flying in separate orbits again (Flight Day 12 for STS-122/1E)

After final preparations on both sides of the hatches (closed yesterday on ISS side at 1:03pm EST), Atlantis this morning undocked smoothly at 4:27am from PMA-2 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 2), after a total docked time of 11d 13h 42m. (For undocking, the station was turned from -XVV through ~180 deg to +XVV ZLV (+x-axis in velocity vector, z-axis in local vertical) at ~3:30am, put briefly on free drift for the undocking, and then maneuvered to 1E Stage attitude of +XVV TEA attitude at 5:06am.) See picture from Atlantis flight deck, below. Additional Details: here....

For today's Voluntary Science program, CDR Whitson continued her work with the InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), conducting runs #28, #29 and #30, investigating low frequency behavior of the lowest concentration magnetorheological (MR) fluid, exchanging video tapes after each run, then switching to the highest concentration (vial #4) and finally powering the MSG down. (The activity included an EPO (Education Payload Operation) Demo for grades 9-12. InSPACE obtains basic data on MR fluids, i.e., a new class of "smart materials" that can be used to improve or develop new brake systems, seat suspensions robotics, clutches, airplane landing gear, and vibration damper systems. The colloidal (dispersed) particles are contained in CAs (Coil Assemblies) in the MSG that subject them to electric fields at certain strength and frequencies. The desired strong dipolar interaction between the small colloidal particles can be achieved in micro-G simply with an external magnetic field being turned on and off. On the ground, the flow properties (rheology) of many materials, especially those making up consumer products like detergents, fabric softeners, toothpaste and paints, are similarly controlled, though not by magnetic fields but by adding a polymer. It now appears, for example, that new formulations of fabric softeners may perform better in space than on earth. ) Additional Details: here....

STS-122/Atlantis returned to Earth this morning after 12d 18h 22min in space, touching down at KSC on the first landing opportunity at 9:07am EST, after 202 orbits & 5.3 million miles. During the perfectly executed ISS 1E mission, its seven-member crew conducted three EVAs, delivered and installed the European Columbus laboratory, brought up new Expedition 16 crewmember LĂ(c)opold Eyharts and returned his predecessor Dan Tani who spent 121 days in space (116 on board the station). It was the 121st flight of a Space Shuttle, the 24th Shuttle mission to visit the station and the 29th for Atlantis. Welcome back, Atlantis! Next up: STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A on March 11 with the Kibo laboratory module - Japan/JAXA's BIG day. Additional Details: here....

FE-1 Malenchenko performed the periodic servicing of the Russian BMP (Harmful Impurities Removal System) by starting the "bake-out" cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system.

The regen process will be terminated before sleeptime, at ~2:15pm EST. Regeneration of bed #2 follows tomorrow. (Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods.)

Upon wakeup, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko terminated his tenth MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session, started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground.

(SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....

The crew performed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning. ("Uborka", usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the CDR's sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.) Additional Details: here....

For today's Voluntary Science program, Peggy Whitson continued her work with the InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), conducting runs #31, #32 and #33 to investigate low frequency behavior (0.66 Hz) at the highest particle concentration MR (magnetorheological) fluid, exchanging video tapes after each run, then removing the vial assembly and finally powering the MSG down. (InSPACE obtains basic data on MR fluids, i.e., a new class of "smart materials" that can be used to improve or develop new brake systems, seat suspensions robotics, clutches, airplane landing gear, and vibration damper systems. The colloidal (dispersed) particles are contained in CAs (Coil Assemblies) in the MSG that subject them to electric fields at certain strength and frequencies. The desired strong dipolar interaction between the small colloidal particles can be achieved in micro-G simply with an external magnetic field being turned on and off. On the ground, the flow properties (rheology) of many materials, especially those making up consumer products like detergents, fabric softeners, toothpaste and paints, are similarly controlled, though not by magnetic fields but by adding a polymer. It now appears, for example, that new formulations of fabric softeners may perform better in space than on earth.) Additional Details: here....

Before breakfast, having reached the FD15 (Flight Day 15) mark in his flight, FE-2 Eyharts undertook his first session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, today limited to two blood draws (for Serum & Heparin). (Acting as operator and CMO (Crew Medical Officer), Peggy Whitson performed phlebotomy on Leo, i.e., drew blood samples (from an arm vein) which were first allowed to coagulate in the Repository, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. Background: NUTRITION is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight; this includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing inflight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project expands MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

Concluding his first session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, FE-2 Eyharts completed the all-day Part 2, by collecting urine samples for 24 hrs, to continue through tomorrow morning.

The samples were consecutively stored in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Blood collections were performed by Peggy on Leo yesterday. (The current NUTRITION/Repository project is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight. It includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes, expanding the previous Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L) testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

Upon wakeup, FE--2 Eyharts performed the last sampling of his first session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, collecting a final urine sample for storage in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS).

The sampling kit was then stowed away. Leo's next NUTRITION/Repository activity will be his Flight Day 30 (FD30) session. (The current NUTRITION project is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight. It includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes, expanding the previous Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L) testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

For the purpose of testing the main TORU (Teleoperator Control System) receiver on Progress M-63/28P, FE-1 Malenchenko and CDR Whitson worked with ground specialists via VHF on DO3 (Daily Orbit 3) in the standard vehicle-to-vehicle TORU checkout between the Service Module (SM) and the docked Progress 28P.

Progress thrusters (DPO) were inhibited and not involved. (Crew activities focused on TORU activation, inputting commands via the RUO Rotational Hand Controller and close-out ops. TORU lets an SM-based crewmember perform the approach and docking of automated Progress vehicles in case of failure of the automated KURS system. Receiving a video image of the approaching ISS, as seen from a Progress-mounted docking television camera ('Klest'), on a color monitor ('Simvol-Ts', i.e. 'symbol center') which also displays an overlay of rendezvous data from the onboard digital computer, the crewmember steers the Progress to mechanical contact by means of two hand controllers, one for rotation (RUO), the other for translation (RUD), on adjustable armrests. The controller-generated commands are transmitted from the SM's TORU control panel to the Progress via VHF radio. In addition to the Simvol-Ts color monitor, range, range rate (approach velocity) and relative angular position data are displayed on the 'Klest-M' video monitor (VKU) which starts picking up signals from Progress when it is still approximately 7 km away. TORU is monitored in real time from TsUP over Russian ground sites (RGS) and via Ku-band from Houston, but its control cannot be taken over from the ground.) Additional Details: here....

Today is February's fifth Friday, because of its 29 Leap Year days; the last time February had 5 Fridays was in 1980 and next time will be in 2036.

Before breakfast and exercise, FE-2 Eyharts performed his first PHS (Periodic Health Status) w/Blood Labs examination. CDR Whitson assisted in drawing blood and using the U.S. PCBA(Portable Clinical Blood Analyzer). The second part of PHS, Subjective Clinical Evaluation, was performed later in the day. (The PHS exam, with PCBA analysis and clinical evaluation, is guided by special software (IFEP, In-Flight Examination Program) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer). While PCBA analyzes total blood composition, the blood's hematocrit is particularly measured by the Russian MO-10 protocol.) Additional Details: here....

The crew completed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning. ("Uborka", usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the CDR's sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.) Additional Details: here....

FE-1 Malenchenko updated software on the Russian RS1 laptop HDD (Hard Disk Drive). (After first connecting the A31p to the AGAT external monitor (temporarily disconnected from TP2 laptop), the FE-1 'ghosted' (cloned) its HDD with Vers. 07.05 file structure from a DVD, then updated the RS1 HDD new software from an USB memory stick, and created a copy of the load.)

Afterwards, Malenchenko conducted the periodic/long-term inspection of the pressure hull in the Service Module Working Compartment (SM RO), looking for any moisture, deposits, mold, corrosion and pitting behind panels 107, 109, 130, 134, 135, 138, 139, 452, also underneath the TVIS treadmill (where deposit was discovered earlier) and the cold plates (where SNT and STR lines are installed). (The inspection of the hull surface, which is coated with a primer and dark-green enamel, is done using cleaning napkins to wipe the area in question if required and reporting results to the ground. The hull inspection looks for changed color and cavities; if cavities are found, they are to be measured for depth after cleaning. Digital photographs of the shell before and after the removal of deposits will be made for documentation.) Additional Details: here....

In the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-2 Leo Eyharts had an hour allotted to perform troubleshooting on a structural element which earlier (2/17) had prevented installation of a K-BAR (Knee-Brace Assembly Replacement) capture mechanism on the overhead F2 rack, as required for relocating of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and EXPRESS Rack 3 (ER3).

(Today's troubleshooting dealt with repair and cleaning of a threaded hole on a standoff element for the right K-BAR capture fitting. The FE-2 used a vacuum cleaner to remove FOD (Foreign Object Debris) plus safety goggles, rubber gloves and a surgical mask for his protection.)

In the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-2 Leo Eyharts had an hour allotted to perform troubleshooting on a structural element which earlier (2/17) had prevented installation of a K-BAR (Knee-Brace Assembly Replacement) capture mechanism on the overhead F2 rack, as required for relocating of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and EXPRESS Rack 3 (ER3).

(Today's troubleshooting dealt with repair and cleaning of a threaded hole on a standoff element for the right K-BAR capture fitting. The FE-2 used a vacuum cleaner to remove FOD (Foreign Object Debris) plus safety goggles, rubber gloves and a surgical mask for his protection.)

FE-1 Malenchenko started his day with an IFM (In-flight Maintenance) in the FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok), removing and replacing a sensor component of the SIT-9L Temperature Measuring System in the BR-9TsU-8 Radiotelemetry System (RTS) with a new unit, discarding the old box.

CDR Whitson performed the periodic calibration of the two CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen sensor) instruments #1041 & #1052, using a calibration tank with accurately known pressure. (Partial Pressure Oxygen (ppO2) readings were 21.4% before and 21.3% after calibration on #1041, 23,3%/21.3% on #1052.)

Upon wake-up, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko terminated his MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session (his 11th), started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground.

(SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....

For his second run with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, FE-2 Eyharts completed the all-day session, collecting urine samples for 24 hrs (to continue through tomorrow morning) and blood samples (for Serum & Heparin). (Acting as operator and CMO (Crew Medical Officer), Peggy Whitson performed phlebotomy on Leo, i.e., drew blood samples (from an arm vein) which were first allowed to coagulate in the Repository, then spun in the HRF2 RC (Human Research Facility 2/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. Background: NUTRITION is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight; this includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing in-flight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project has expanded MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

After a flawless, precise on-time launch last night at 11:03:04 pm EST at Kourou/French Guiana, ATV1 Jules Verne is on its way to the ISS. (Currently entering a period of test and orbit raising maneuvers, the European automated freighter will start 'loitering' on 3/19 about 1200 miles ahead of ISS (which at that time is busy with STS-123/1J/A), then will begin maneuvering at 3/27, conduct checkout Demos toward an IMMT Go/No Go decision on 4/2, and Docking on 4/3 (start Final Approach: ~6:10am EDT, contact SM aft port: ~10:20am.) Additional Details: here....

After consulting with Col-CC (Columbus Control Center) specialists, FE-2 Eyharts set up a video camcorder in front of the FSL RIC (Fluid Science Laboratory Rack Interface Controller) to monitor its LEDs, then performed an uplinked troubleshooting procedure on the FSL facility, using wire cutter, wire stripper and crimp tools in an effort to repair its LAN (Local Area Network) jumper that could not be connected with the UIP (Utility Interface Panel) J46 LAN-1 connector last week. Additional Details: here....

STS-123/Endeavour (ISS-1J/A) lifted off spectacularly in darkness early this morning right on time (2:28am EDT) with all systems performing nominally, for rendezvous with ISS tomorrow (3/12, Wednesday) and docking at approximately 11:25pm EDT. The Orbiter is carrying the seven-member crew of Commander Dominic L. Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Richard M. Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, Michael J. Foreman, Takao Doi and Garrett E. Reisman. Reisman will replace LĂ(c)opold Eyharts as ISS Flight Engineer 2, who returns on 3/26 (nominal) with STS-123. STS-123 is the 122nd space shuttle flight, the 21st flight for Endeavour, the 25th flight to the station and the second of six Shuttle flights planned for 2008 (including the Hubble Service Mission 4). Its primary payloads are the 18,490-lbs Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section (ELM-PS or JLP) and the 3,400-lbs Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) 'Dextre'. We are off to another great mission! Additional Details: here....

Endeavour's main task was delivery of the Canadian Dextre robotic manipulator (fitted to the end of the Canadarm-2 robotic arm already installed on the station) and the Japanese Kibo ELM-PS Experiment Logistics Module - Pressurized. It also brought astronaut Reisman to the station, replacing Eyharts on the long-duration crew. The orbiter was placed in an initial 58 km x 220 km orbit at main engine shutdown, adjusted by the OMS-2 firing 38 minutes later to a 220 km x 233 km chase orbit. On 13 March the shuttle docked with the PMA-2 port of the International Space Station at 03:49 GMT. Mission accomplished, Endeavour undocked at 00:25 GMT on March 25, completed the customary ISS flyaround at 01:36 GMT, deorbited at 23:33 GMT the next day, and landed at 00:39 GMT at Kennedy Space Center.

Prepared the JAXA JLP (JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section) for its transfer, i.e. - opened and secured the protective flap over the Node-2 topside (zenith) hatch viewport for the internal CBCS (Centerline Berthing Camera System), removed 8 PCBM (Passive Common Berthing Mechanism) contamination protection covers, demated & stowed JLP LTA (Launch-to-Activation) connectors & installed protective caps on the LTA receptacles; Performed Part 1 Assembly of the SPDM (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator), i.e. - released two OTCMs (ORU Tool Changeout Mechanisms) from the launch locations on the SLP (Spacelab Pallet), installed the OTCMs on the SPDM, released the OTP EDFs (ORU Temporary Platform Expandable Diameter Fasteners), inspected the SLP PDGF (Power & Data Grapple Fixture) horseshoe connectors; Took photographs of the SPDM, and Installed a protective wire tie over the sharp edge divot discovered during Flight 1A on the Airlock (A/L) handrail. Official start time of the spacewalk was 9:18pm EDT, about 5 min ahead of timeline, and it ended at 4:19am. Total EVA duration (PET = Phase Elapsed Time) was 7h 1min. It was the 105th spacewalk for ISS assembly & maintenance and the 77th from the station (55 from Quest, 22 from Pirs, 28 from Shuttle) totaling 472h 22min, and the 9th for Expedition 16 (totaling 64h 30min) and the 6th so far this year. After today's EVA, a total of 131 spacewalkers (99 NASA astronauts, 21 Russians, and 11 astronauts representing Japan-1, Canada-4, France-1, Germany-2 and Sweden-3) have logged a total of 660h 44min outside the station on building, outfitting and servicing. It was also the 127th spacewalk involving U.S. astronauts.) Additional Details: here....

SPDM Dextre was checked out and is working nominally with both arms. (The waist-up-only robot from Canada arrived in space in nine separate pieces that are being assembled in the current spacewalks. Each of the two arms has seven joints; in addition, SPDM (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator) Dextre can pivot at the 'waist'. Its grippers (hands) have built-in socket wrenches, cameras & lights. Only one arm is movable at a time, to keep the robot stable and avoid a two-arm collision. Dextre can be attached to MT (Mobile Transporter) to translate along the stations rail tracks, or alternately to the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) to swing to places where the railcart can't go. What a supercool helper!) Additional Details: here....

After wake-up yesterday at ~3:30pm, CDR Peggy Whitson completed another session with the SLEEP experiment (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink, as suggested on her discretionary 'job jar' task list. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Peggy wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

The astronauts completed assembly of the Dextre robotic manipulator, installed the LWAPA adapter plate on the External Payload Facility of the Columbus module, and transferred spare equipment from Endeavour's payload bay to the station's External Stowage Platform 2. They were unable to complete the planned installation of the MISSE 6 sample exposure experiment on the LWAPA.

SPDM (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator) 'Dextre', with repositioned arms, was successfully stowed on the U.S. Lab PDGF (Power & Data Grapple Fixture) (and is looking very cool); SLP (Spacelab Pallet) was returned to the Shuttle PLB (Payload Bay) for re-berthing; and SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) was 'walked off' the Node-2 PDGF onto MT/MBS (Mobile Transporter/Mobile Base System) PDGF-3 and maneuvered into position for today's MT translation from Worksite 6 (WS6) to WS4. (During commanding of the SPDM's body ('waist') roll joint to stowage mode, it rotated in the opposite direction than expected, due to a sign mistake (polarity inversion, i.e., a plus-sign instead of a minus-sign) in the DMCS (Dexterous Manipulator Control Software) configuration file. Flight Controllers worked around this in real time, and the crew was able to maneuver the SPDM LEE (Latching End Effector) onto the LAB PDGF without further ado. Work is underway at CSA/MDA to write a corrective software patch.) Additional Details: here....

After wakeup yesterday at ~1:30pm EDT and before breakfast, CDR Peggy Whitson completed another session with the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop, as suggested on her discretionary 'job jar' task list. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Peggy wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

Demonstrated an on-orbit heat shield repair technique using the T-RAD (Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser) to demonstrate an Orbiter tile repair DTO (Development Test Objective) in space. (The spacewalkers tested STA-54, a pink putty-like material consisting of two compounds that are mixed together in a pressure-driven applicator gun just before they exit the nozzle. With Foreman working the applicator, the test was completed nominally, and the test samples were stowed in the TSA (Tool Stowage Assembly in the Orbiter PLB (Payload Bay) for return and analysis; results looked good); Removed RPCM (Remote Power Controller Module) S02B-D on the S0 truss and replaced it with a new unit. (Since the RPCM controls CMG-2 (Control Moment Gyroscope #2), circuitry had to be powered down and the CMG-2 removed from the steering law beforehand. After the successful R&R, the spacewalkers attempted several times to reconfigure the Z1 patch panel, a pre-requisite for powering the new RPCM, but were unable to do so due to tough-to-reach connectors which could not be unmated. The patch panel reconfiguration currently remains incomplete, but there are no impacts to current operations); Inspected the Z1 truss toolbox for MMOD (Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris) damage and noticed several 'pits'. (Video imagery will be assessed by specialists); Released Node-2 Port ACBM (Active Common Berthing Mechanism) launch locks in preparation for berthing the JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) module 'Kibo' on Flight 1J next May; Removed the remaining SPDM OTCM-2 (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator/ORU Tool Changeout Mechanism #2) thermal covers, reconfigured some of the wrist blankets and flaps, and inspected the Shoulder Roll joint of SPDM Arm #2 for possible MLI (Multi-Layered Insulation) interference. None was seen. (WVS (Wireless Video System) helmet cam video was also obtained for ground analysis.) Additionally, two get-ahead tasks were completed: Additional Details: here....

After wakeup yesterday (~1:30pm EDT) and before breakfast, CDR Peggy Whitson completed another session with the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop, as suggested on her discretionary 'job jar' task list. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Peggy wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.) Additional Details: here....

The crew completed installation of the MISSE 6 sample exposure experiment; assisted in the installation of the OBSS arm, used to inspect the underside of the Shuttle, on the Station truss. The crew finally made inspections of the damaged Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, required to develop a future repair method.

Ahead: Week 23 of Increment 16. HAPPY EASTER! Congratulations, Shuttle & ISS crews: Five EVAs in a row, all successful. What a great Easter gift!

>>>>Today at ~7:43am EDT, the ISS, specifically its FGB module, completed 53,500 orbits of the Earth, having covered a distance of 2.25 billion kilometers (1.4 billion st.miles) in 3411 days. The 19,300 kg (42,600 lbs) Zarya ('Dawn') was launched on a Russian/Khrunichev Proton from Baikonur over nine years ago (11/20/1998) as the first element of the multi-national space station.<<<< Additional Details: here....

After wakeup yesterday, FE-2-16 Reisman had his third session with the biomed experiment INTEGRATED IMMUNE (Validating Procedures for Monitoring Crew member Immune Function), collecting dry saliva samples. (INTEGRATED IMMUNE protocol requires the collection to occur first thing post-sleep, before eating, drinking and brushing teeth, and all samples are stored at ambient temperature. Along with NUTRITION (Nutritional Status Assessment), IMMUNE samples & analyzes participant's blood, urine, and saliva before, during and after flight for changes related to functions like bone metabolism, oxidative damage and immune function to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. The strategy uses both long and short duration crewmembers as study subjects. The saliva is collected in two forms, dry and liquid. The dry samples are collected at intervals during the collection day using a specialized book that contains filter paper, all stored at ambient temperature.) Additional Details: here....

STS-123/Endeavour and ISS are flying in separate orbits again (Flight Day 15/16 for STS-123/1J/A)

After final preparations on both sides of the hatches (closed yesterday on ISS side at 5:51pm EDT), Endeavour undocked last night at 8:25pm, 29 min late, from PMA-2 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 2) after a total docked time of 11d 20h 36m. (For undocking, the station was turned from -XVV through ~180 deg to +XVV ZLV (+x-axis in velocity vector, z-axis in local vertical, i.e., flying Shuttle-leading again) at ~7:09pm, put briefly on free drift for the undocking, and then moded to 1J/A Stage attitude of +XVV TEA attitude. During pre-undock feathering & locking of the station's P6 solar arrays, latch #2 of the 2B BGA (Beta Gimbal Assembly) latched only at the third attempt, delaying the undocking by ~29 min.) Additional Details: here....

For her VolSci (Voluntary Science) program today, CDR Peggy Whitson set up the SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device) equipment on the HRF1 (Human Research Facility 1) rack, performed the scheduled checkout/control run and took a body mass measurement, documenting the activities with digital still & video imagery for ground evaluation and finally disassembling the equipment again. (SLAMMD provides an accurate means of determining the on-orbit mass of humans spanning the range from the 5th percentile Japanese female and the 95th percentile American male. The procedure, in accordance with Newton's 2nd Law of Motion, finds the mass by dividing force, generated by two springs inside the SLAMMD drawer, by acceleration measured with a precise optical instrument that detects the position versus time trajectory of the SLAMMD guide arm and a micro controller which collects the raw data and provides the precise timing. The final computation is done via portable laptop computer with SLAMMD unique software. To calculate their mass, crewmembers wrap their legs around a leg support assembly, align the stomach against a belly pad and either rest the head or chin on a head rest. For calibration, an 18-lbs. mass is used at different lengths from the pivot point, to simulate different mass values. Allowable crew mass range is from 90 to 240 lbs.) Additional Details: here....

After orbiting the Earth an extra revolution due to weather at the landing site, space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew landed on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center at 7:39 p.m. CDT today, completing a 16-day journey of more than 6.5 million miles. Additional Details: here....

STS-123/Endeavour returned to Earth last night after 15d 18h 11m in space, the longest Shuttle mission to ISS so far, touching down at KSC on the second opportunity at 8:39pm EDT, after 250 orbits & 6.6 million miles (first opportunity waived off due to cloud layer). (During the perfectly executed ISS 1J/AE mission, its seven-member crew conducted a record five EVAs, delivered & installed the JAXA JLP (Japanese Experiment Module Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section) and the Canadian SPDM Dextre, brought up new Expedition 16 crewmember Garrett Reisman and returned his predecessor Leopold Eyharts who spent 48 days in space (44 aboard the station). It was the 122nd flight of a Space Shuttle, the 25th Shuttle mission to visit the station, the 21st for Endeavour and the second of six Shuttle missions planned for 2008. Next up: STS-124/Discovery/1J on 5/25 with JAXA's JEM Pressurized Module 'Kibo', racks & the JEM RMS.) Additional Details: here....

As per his voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast FE-2 Garrett Reisman completed his first session with the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop.

(To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Garrett wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.)

FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko serviced the Russian BMP (Harmful Impurities Removal System), starting the "bake-out" cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #2 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. The regen process was terminated before sleeptime, at ~4:30pm EDT. (Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods. Filter bed 1 was regenerated yesterday.) Additional Details: here....

Per his voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast FE-2 Garrett Reisman completed his second session with the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop.

(To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Garrett wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.)

Also before breakfast, having reached the FD15 (Flight Day 15) mark in his flight, Reisman undertook his first session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, collecting blood and urine samples. (Acting as operator and CMO (Crew Medical Officer), CDR Whitson performed phlebotomy on Garrett, i.e., drew blood samples (from an arm vein) which were first allowed to coagulate in the Repository, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. Garrett's urine samples were also placed in the MELFI. Background: NUTRITION is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight; this includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing in-flight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project expands MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

Ahead: Week 24 of Increment 16. Flight Control to Crew: 'Everyone at the ATV-CC (as well as MCC-M and MCC-H) could not be more pleased with how Demo Day 1 went!'

From his voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast FE-2 Garrett Reisman completed his third session with the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Garrett wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.) Additional Details: here....

As suggested on his voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast FE-2 Garrett Reisman completed his fourth session with the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment's laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Garrett wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.) Additional Details: here....

From the US voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast CDR Whitson and FE-2 Reisman downloaded the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data from their Actiwatches to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop, changed the lithium battery in Peggy's Actiwatch and initialized both their watches.

They also changed the battery of SFP (Space Flight Participant) Yi So-yeon's Actiwatch and initialized the unit for her. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, crewmembers wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.)

FE-1 Malenchenko began his activities with the routine checkup of DC1 (Docking Compartment) circuit breakers and fuses. (The monthly checkup in the 'Pirs' DC1 looks at AZS circuit breakers on the BVP Amp Switch Panel (they should all be On) and the LEDs (light-emitting diodes) of 14 fuses in Fuse Panels BPP-30 & BPP-36.) Additional Details: here....

From the US voluntary 'job jar' task list, after wakeup and before breakfast, CDR Whitson and FE-2 Reisman downloaded the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data from their Actiwatches to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop.

Yi So-yeon, the South Korean SFP (Space Flight Participant), will participate in the experiment. (To monitor the crewmember's sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, crewmembers wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.)

Also upon wake-up, CDR Whitson started Part 2 (of 5) of the periodic acoustic measurement protocol by recording post-sleep data of the crew-worn acoustic dosimeters, later deploying the dosimeters statically in Node-2, COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), and SM (Service Module) near the Central Post for the duration of the day. (Acoustic data must be taken twice per Increment, each time for the duration of the 16-hour crew workday.) Additional Details: here....

SM hooks were closed at 10:56am. The docking was essentially a repeat of Demo Day 2 except for the final approach from S41 (~12m) to Contact and Hooks Closed. (The 19-ton unmanned ATV maneuvered from a holding position 39 km behind the ISS and conducted a 4-hour staged approach with several stops at reference points for checks. It autonomously computed its own position through relative GPS (Global Positioning System) data, comparing with GPS data received from ISS, and in close range it used VDM (Videometer) lasers pointed at LRRs (Laser Retroreflektors) on the SM for distance & orientation determination relative to its target. Final approach was at a relative velocity of 7 cm/s and with an accuracy of better than 10 cm. The cargo transport, which remains docked for the next four months, is delivering 1,150 kg of dry cargo, including food, clothes and equipment as well as two original manuscripts handwritten by Jules Verne and a 19th Century illustrated edition of his novel 'From the Earth to the Moon'. The cargo also includes 856 kg of propellant, 270 kg of drinking water and 21 kg of oxygen, to be transferred to the SM.) Additional Details: here....

After yesterday's successful ATV1 docking, CDR Whitson and FE-1 Malenchenko today performed first ingress of the European cargo carrier by executing a number of prescribed steps.

This included conducting a 30-min OBT (Onboard Training) procedures review for Docked ATV Operations, Completing a one-hour leak check of the SM PrK (Service Module Transfer Compartment)/ATV vestibule interface, Preparing the necessary equipment for the first ingress (including GSC (Grab Sample Container), IPD-CO air sampler for CO (Carbon Monoxide), AK-1M air sampler, a manual sampling pump, goggles, a dusk mask, an A-2 air scrubber filter, etc.) Donning the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) i.e.,safety goggles, dust mask) (keeping PPE on until after ATV closeout operations and egress), Opening the hatches for partial ingress (~6:20am EDT), Installing the QD BZV (quick disconnect screw clamps) of the SSVP docking & internal transfer mechanism to rigidize the coupling, Taking copious air samples from the ATV interior, and Starting the air scrubber, equipped with an FPP electronic/EMI interference filter, to run for about 8h 20m with hatches closed. For the second ingress, scheduled tomorrow (Saturday, 4/5, at ~4:00am EDT), the air scrubbing in the ATV will make the PPE unnecessary. ATV1 will then be readily accessible to the crew for nominal operations. Also scheduled for tomorrow is an ATV thruster test. Additional Details: here....

Having passed Day 180 of her flight, Dr. Peggy Whitson began her fourth session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, for which she had to forego exercising and food intake for eight hours. Today's protocol consisted of two blood draws (for Serum & Heparin). Later, the CDR set up the equipment for the 24-hour urine collections which start with the first void early tomorrow morning and continue through Sunday morning. (Acting as operator, CMO (Crew Medical Officer)Garrett Reisman performed phlebotomy on Peggy Whitson, i.e., drawing blood samples (from an arm vein) which was first allowed to coagulate in the Repository for 20-30 minutes, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. Background: NUTRITION is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight; this includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing inflight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project expands MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

Having passed Day 180 of her flight, Dr. Peggy Whitson ended her fourth session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository by collecting a final urine sample upon wakeup for storage in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The sampling kit was then stowed away. (The current NUTRITION project is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight. It includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes, expanding the previous Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L) testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

This morning at 4:49am EDT, Progress M-63/28P successfully undocked from the ISS. All separation burns went off nominally, and the deorbit burn followed at 7:50am for destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean. This freed the DC1 Docking Compartment port for Soyuz TMA-12/16S docking on 4/10 at ~9:02am. (For the undocking, ISS attitude control was handed over to Russian MCS (Motion Control System) at ~2:55am and returned to U.S. momentum management at ~5:45am, still in earth-fixed LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal). During the undocking, the station was in free drift for ~9 min. Structural response data were taken by MAMS (Microgravity Acceleration Measuring System) and the external truss-mounted SDMS (Structural Dynamic Measurement System). The undocking was preceded at ~4:15am by a temporary shutdown of the amateur radio equipment in the FGB (Ericsson) & SM (Kenwood) to prevent radiofrequency interference with the departing Progress vehicle.) Additional Details: here....

Our good partners did it again: Soyuz TMA-12 (16S) launched flawlessly this morning on time at 7:16:39am EDT.

Separations from second & third stage were nominal. Orbit was attained at L+ 8:45 min at an altitude of ~202 km (perigee ~189.6 km/apogee ~230.1 km, downrange ~520 km, velocity ~7.50 km/s). Antennas and solar arrays deployed nominally at orbit insertion. 16S has a planned two-day rendezvous profile, to aim for docking on Thursday, 4/10. (At orbit insertion, Soyuz unfolded two solar arrays, four Kurs antennas, one TORU/Rassvet-M antenna and one telemetry antenna. Later, the crew activated antenna heaters, set the maneuver mode, turned on the RKO orbit radio tracking system, started leak checks, etc. Two orbit adjustment burns of ~5 min duration each were executed this morning, DV1 (~25.55 m/s) at ~10:57am, DV2 (~14.27 m/s) at ~11:50am, both with the SKD main engine. After the two-day "chase", supported by several more midcourse burns, 16S will dock at the DC1 Docking Compartment on 4/10 at ~9:02am EDT.) Additional Details: here....

(FD1 activities yesterday included the first two maneuver burns, DV1 (10:57am) & DV2 (11:50am), both with the SKD main engine. FD2 activities, started yesterday afternoon with Soyuz crew wakeup at ~4:05pm on Orbit 12, include systems & crew health status reports to TsUP, preparation of the Soyuz Habitation Module (SA) workspace, building attitude for and executing the DV3 burn, placing Soyuz back in its sun-spinning "barbecue" mode (ISK), and swapping CO2 absorption cartridges (LiOH) in the BO. Afterwards, the crewmembers will put on their Sokol suits and PKO biomed harnesses, transfer to the SA, activate its air purification system (SOA) and close the hatch to the Descent Module (BO). After activation of the active Kurs-A system on Soyuz and of the passive Kurs-P on the Service Module (SM), with a short Kurs-A/P test and several additional adjustment burns during automated rendezvous, station fly-around to align with the DC1 Docking Compartment will begin tomorrow at ~8:37am at ~400m range, followed by station keeping at ~160m (~8:46am) and docking at the DC1 port at ~9:02am. Volkov & Kononenko will replace Expedition 16 CDR Whitson & FE-1 Malenchenko. FE-2 Dr. Garrett Reisman remains on the station, joining Expedition 17 until early June when he is replaced by U.S. Astronaut Gregory E. Chamitoff on STS-124/1J. So-Yeon Yi, the 30-year old biotechnologist student from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology) and South Korea's first astronaut, will return with Peggy & Yuri on 4/19 in Soyuz TMA-11/15S.) Additional Details: here....

The ISS crew's work/sleep cycle shifted this morning, from wakeup at 2:00am to 5:00am EDT (sleeptime tonight at 9:30pm, from 5:30pm).

Work period will shift again tomorrow (6:20am -5:50pm) and on 4/12 (2:10am -5:40pm).

Yest kasaniya! Soyuz TMA-12/16S docked smoothly at the DC1 port at 8:57am EDT, five minutes ahead of time, with Expedition 17 crewmembers CDR Sergei Volkov and FE-1 Oleg Kononenko, plus Korean SFP (Spaceflight Participant) So-Yeon Yi, 14th Visiting Crewmember (VC). After about 1.5 hrs spent in Soyuz on pre-transfer activities, the crew opened hatches, followed by crew transfer, the traditional joyful welcome event and the installation of the BZV QD (quick disconnect) clamps by Volkov and Kononenko at ~12:10pm. (After successful "kasaniya" (contact), automatic "sborka" (closing of Soyuz & DC1 port hooks & latches) took place shortly thereafter (~9:07am) while ISS was in free drift. Attitude control authority had been handed over to the Russian MCS (Motion Control System) at ~5:25am and was returned to US CMG control at ~10:05am. For the 16S docking, Russian thrusters were disabled during Soyuz volume pressurization and clamp installation; they were afterwards returned to active attitude control (~12:30pm). Before hatch opening, the crew performed leak checks of the Soyuz modules and the Soyuz/ISS interface vestibule. They then doffed their Sokol suits and set them up for drying (~1:05pm), deactivated the Atmosphere Purification Unit (BOA) in the Descent Module (SA), replaced the Soyuz ECLSS LiOH cartridges, equalized Soyuz/ISS pressures, and put the spacecraft into conservation mode on ISS integrated power.) Additional Details: here....

Today Russia observes Denj Kosmonavtov (Cosmonauts Day) and the world Yuri's Night -- celebrating Yuri Alexeyevich Gagarin's pioneering flight into space 47 years ago. And NASA is observing the 27th anniversary of STS-1, the first Space Shuttle mission to orbit. (Yuri was accepted into the cosmonaut unit in 1960, at age 26. After his historic 108-min. flight around the Earth in 'Vostok 1', which ended with a parachute ejection at 7 km altitude over a farm field near the city of Engels in Saratov Oblast (province), he was promoted to unit leader. Seven years later, on March 27, 1968, Yuri died with a flight instructor in a fighter jet crash. Chief Designer of the thusly inaugurated Soviet human space program was Sergey Pavlovich Korolev. Exactly 20 years later, John Young and Bob Crippen took the Columbia into space for a test mission lasting 2 days 6 hours 20 minutes 52 seconds.) Additional Details: here....

The crew's work/sleep cycle again was adjusted slightly, from yesterday's wakeup at 2:20am to 2:10am EDT (sleeptime tonight at 5:40pm). Tomorrow, work period will be adjusted by 5 min (to 2:15am -5:45pm).

Aboard ISS, the E16/E17 crew rotation/handover period went underway with full activity schedules for all six residents involved. Whitson, Volkov, Malenchenko and Kononenko had several hours crewtime between them for dedicated CDR/CDR & FE/FE handover activities. In addition, there are 'generic' handovers where crewmembers are scheduled together to complete various designated standard tasks. Additional Details: here....

The crew's work/sleep cycle again was adjusted slightly, from yesterday's wakeup at 2:10am to 2:15am EDT (sleeptime tonight at 5:45pm). Tomorrow, work period will again be adjusted by 5 min (to 2:20am -5:50pm).

Aboard ISS, the E16/E17 crew rotation/handover period went underway with full activity schedules for all six residents involved. Whitson, Volkov, Malenchenko and Kononenko had several hours crewtime between them for dedicated CDR/CDR & FE/FE handover activities. In addition, there are 'generic' handovers where crewmembers are scheduled together to complete various designated standard tasks. Additional Details: here....

The crew's work/sleep cycle again was adjusted slightly, from yesterday's wakeup at 2:15am to 2:20am EDT (sleeptime tonight at 5:50pm). Tomorrow, work period will again be adjusted by 5 min (to 2:15am -5:45pm).

Aboard ISS, crew rotation/handover activities continued for all six residents involved. Whitson, Volkov, Malenchenko and Kononenko had several hours scheduled between them for dedicated ('functional') CDR/CDR & FE/FE handover activities; in addition, there are 'generic' handovers where crewmembers are scheduled together to complete various designated standard tasks. Additional Details: here....

The crew's work/sleep cycle again was adjusted slightly, from yesterday's wakeup at 2:20am to 2:15am EDT (sleeptime tonight at 5:45pm). Tomorrow, work period will be adjusted again (to 2:00am -12:00pm).

Aboard ISS, crew rotation/handover activities continued for all six residents involved. Whitson, Volkov, Malenchenko and Kononenko had several hours scheduled between them for dedicated ('functional') CDR/CDR & FE/FE handover activities; in addition, there are 'generic' handovers where crewmembers are scheduled together to complete various designated standard tasks. Additional Details: here....

Day 190 in space for Peggy & Yuri.Yesterday, Peggy Whitson set a new US endurance record of 374 days for the longest cumulative time spent in space, held before by Mike Foale (heading the list: Sergei Krikalev with 803 days).

With undocking time on 4/19 approaching, the ISS crew went on an irregular sleep/wake cycle:

Expedition 17 Crew: CDR Sergei Volkov, FE-1 Oleg Kononenko, FE-2 Garrett Reisman. "Yest posadka! (We have Landing!) Welcome back home, Yuri Malenchenko, Peggy Whitson and So-Yeon Yi! After 192 days in space (190 docked to ISS), Soyuz TMA-11/15S, carrying two-thirds of the Expedition 16 crew plus the South-Korean SFP, landed successfully this morning at ~4:30am EDT in the steppes of Kazakhstan, with the crew in excellent condition. The landing in Kazakhstan was approximately 450 km west of the prime landing area in the 'ballistic mode' zone. (The 15S undocking sequence was initiated on 4/19 with the command to open the Soyuz hooks at 1:03 am EDT. 15S separated from ISS at 1:06 am using the docking system springs. Three minutes after initial separation an automatic separation burn was performed by the Soyuz vehicle. A 4 min 18 sec de-orbit burn was initiated at 3:40 am EDT. During descent, the 15S vehicle guidance system down-moded to a ballistic entry mode. The satisfactory condition of the crew was confirmed by 15S CDR Yuri Malenchenko when he made contact with TsUP-Moscow via the 15S Iridium satellite phone. Russian SAR (Search & Rescue) helicopters from the ballistic staging area, including a NASA crew surgeon, reached the crew approximately 30 minutes after landing, and reported the crew to be in good health. The crew was transported to Kustenai, Kazakhstan via helicopter and departed for Star City, arriving at approximately 1:00pm EDT, where they were received by a welcoming NASA delegation headed by Christopher Scolese, Michael Ryschkewitsch, and William Gerstenmaier. Post-flight analysis of data from the descent module systems will be conducted after the module is returned to Moscow.) Additional Details: here....

First activity this morning for FE-2 Reisman was to start on his FD30 (Flight Day 30) session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository. Reisman completed the all-day session, collecting urine samples for 24 hrs (to continue through tomorrow morning) and blood samples (for Serum & Heparin). (Garrett performed self-phlebotomy, i.e., drew his blood samples (from an arm vein) which were first allowed to coagulate in the Repository, then spun in the HRF2 RC (Human Research Facility 2/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. Background: NUTRITION is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight; this includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing in-flight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project has expanded MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.) Additional Details: here....

FE-2 Reisman continued his support of the experiment CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2) in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), today concluding the processing of SPU-8 (Sample Processing Unit 8), transferring the data from the ECU (Electronics Control Unit) to the MSG laptop, then removing SPU-8 from the WV (Work Volume) and installing SPU-7 for the next run.

MSG was later powered down from its A31p laptop (~8:30am EDT). (CSLM-2 examines the kinetics (e.g., growth rate) of 'competing' particles within a liquid matrix. During this process, small particles shrink by giving up atoms to larger particles, causing the larger particles of tin, suspended in a liquid comprised of molten lead/tin alloy ('matrix'), to grow in size ('coarsen'). This study defines the mechanisms and rates of coarsening that govern the manufacture with metals from turbine blades to dental amalgam fillings.) Additional Details: here....

To provide cooling for the ground-commanded activation of the U.S. CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly), FE-2 Reisman begun his workday by connecting the regular ITCS LTL (Internal Thermal Control System/Low Temperature Loop) coolant jumper connection to the LAB1D6 rack. (CDRA activation took place at 4:00am-5:15am EDT. The CDRA will operate over the weekend. Deactivation will occur when ppCO2 drops to 2.5 mmHG. Deactivation will be Sunday evening or early Monday morning.)

The crew conducted the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough house cleaning. ("Uborka", normally done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the FE's sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab. Additionally, as part of the weekly cleaning, Malenchenko performs an inspection of structural elements, cables and instruments behind SM panels for moisture.) Additional Details: here....

>>>Today 47 years ago (1961), the first U.S. Astronaut, Navy Commander Alan 'Big Al' Shepard Jr., launched into a suborbital flight of 15 minutes duration, reaching an altitude of 116 miles. This restored faith in the U.S. space program only 23 days after the Soviet space program launched Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into orbit around the planet.<<<

FE-2 Reisman supported the Japanese CW/RW (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) experiment in the MSG EMCS (Microgravity Science Glovebox/European Modular Cultivation System), removing and relocating EC1 (Experiment Container 1) and EC2 on Rotor A and Rotor B. (CW/RW operates in the EMCS facility in eight special ECs (Experiment Containers) which Garrett recently (3/30) installed on the centrifuges of the facility. The EMCS rack contains two rotating centrifuges, Rotor A & Rotor B, which can support a wide range of small plant & animal experiments under partial gravity conditions.) Additional Details: here....

Using the RSE1 laptop, CDR Volkov and FE-1 Kononenko spent three more hours on their test program with the new KPT-2 BAR-RM payload equipment begun yesterday.

(Today's measurements were taken with the AU-1, Kelvin-Video, Iva-6A & TTM-2 instruments near welds along SM (Service Module) structural rings and near the shell ring in the FGB for subsequent downlinking via BSR-TM channel. At the FGB pressurized shell ring, the two cosmonauts also inspected structural elements, equipment, and cable bundles for moisture, mold, or evidence of corrosion. The BAR-RM data are being used for experimenting with ISS leak detection based on environmental data anomalies (temperature, humidity, and ultrasound emissions) at possible leak locations, in order to develop a procedure for detecting air leakage from ISS modules. The payload uses a remote infrared thermometer (Kelvin-Video), a thermohygrometer (Iva-6A), a heat-loss anemometer/thermometer (TTM-2), an ultrasound analyzer (AU-1), and a leak detector (UT2-03) to determine physical background signs of loss of ISS pressure integrity which could be indicative of leaks in the working compartments of the station. Measurements are taken in specific zones in SM PkhO, FGB and DC1, both with lights, fans & ASU pump turned on and off.) Additional Details: here....

Oleg Kononenko initiated the transfer of the potable water supplies brought up by Progress M-64 to the Service Module (SM)'s Rodnik water tanks (BV1, BV2).

Later, the pumping equipment was dismantled and the activities were closed out. (After hooking up the plumbing connecting the 29P water tanks with the SM Rodnik tankage, the water was transferred at first in self-flow (under its own tank pressure), then using a compressor pump via a GZhS gas/liquid separator, to remove air bubbles in the water. The subsequent filling of the empty Progress tanks with urine will be scheduled later.)

After CDR Volkov prepared the auditory test equipment, he, FE-1 Kononenko & FE-2 Reisman took the periodic O-OHA (on-orbit hearing assessment) test, a 30-min. NASA environmental health systems examination to assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures, using a special MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop application. It was the second session for the three crewmembers. (The O-OHA audiography test involves minimum audibility measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies (0.25-10 kHz) and sound pressure levels, with the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, Bose ANC headsets and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the experimenter is supported by special EarQ software on the MEC, featuring an up/down-arrow-operated slider for each test frequency that the crewmember moves to the lowest sound pressure level at which the tone can still be heard. The baseline test is required not later than about Flight Day 14 for each new Expedition and is then generally performed once per month. Note: There have been temporary hearing deficits documented on some U.S. and Russian crewmembers, all of which recovered to pre-mission levels.) Additional Details: here....

For the long-term Russian sleep study, FE-1 Oleg Kononenko terminated his third MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session upon wake-up by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground.

CDR Sergey Volkov in turn will start his third overnight MBI-12 session tonight. (SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.) Additional Details: here....